What Is A Tel?

A “Tel” is not short for telephone, nor is it a habit that gives you away….a Tel is the site of an ancient city and most are Biblical. In the Old Testament, God instructs the Israelites to destroy pagan cities, leave them in ashes and walk away from the rubble. Sometimes they did and sometimes they didn’t….we know, because many archaeological sites in Israel and the Middle East contain historical artifacts from pagan and Israelite inhabitants.

“Tel” In The Bible

The word “Tel” is written six times in the Hebrew Bible, and is translated in King James Version as “heap” and in more modern translations, “ruin.”

Deuteronomy 13: 16 describes the Tel as a ruined city. God commanded the Israelites to burn down cities of evil people, and turn them into a hill (Tel) of ashes. 16 And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again.

Joshua followed the Biblical directive in Joshua 8: 28, and burnt down the evil city of Ai: “And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day”.

In Jeremiah 49: 2, Jeremiah prophecies that Rabat Amon (today, capital of Jordan) will perish, using the word “heap.” “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD”.

The environment of the Middle East is harsh and most of it unsuitable for settlement. In order for a location to be habitable three conditions were needed:

Water

Occupation (farming, some type of industry, or a location on a trade route)

Defense

People Need Homes

If the three conditions were met, eventually a settlement would be established and through time, grow large enough for a city wall and gate. After that the ruler or king would build a palace and a temple, and finally the people would build homes inside the wall.

Tel Dan

Enemies Covet Their Homes

As the city prospered, it became attractive and enemies or rivals would decide to conquer and destroy the city…. leaving smoking ruins! For these reasons and others, such as drought, earthquakes or natural disasters, the cities might be abandoned. However, if the three conditions remained in place after a destruction, a new city would be built in the location. In ancient times removing rubble was difficult so, people use what was left for building material (ancient recycling!) and constructed a new city right on top of the smoking ruins. This cycle repeated itself over the centuries and viola….today you will find a Tel in that spot!

Modern Tels

Modern cities today are also tells, although no-one calls them that. Beneath the homes and streets of these cities are cemeteries, roads, and building foundations from centuries ago. For example, in New York City, the 19th century streets and building foundations of the notorious Five Points neighborhood was unearthed several feet below the modern city streets and in London, a medieval hospital was unearthed beneath a city neighborhood.

Megiddo and Valley of Armageddon Beyond

“TEL” Facts

An archaeological mound created by the cycle of human occupation and abandonment over many centuries

A classic tel looks like a low, shortened cone with a flat top and sloping sides

A mound not connected to other hills, appears alone without neighboring hills

The term is mainly used of sites in the Middle East where “Tel” is often part of the locality’s name

Generally cities were built on top of hills for strategic purposes—easier to defend

Usually the hill was reinforced with walls and ramparts making it higher

After a war or battle, in which the city was leveled another city would be built on top because….

Building material was easy to find

Water was still available

The area was still strategic

The occupation was still in place

The height of the hill grew depending upon the number of times a city was destroyed and reconstructed

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5) Start Packing For the Trip Of A Lifetime!!December 2017 Holy Land Itinerary (click to view & print)

Aquaduct at Caesarea

Floating in the Dead Sea

Coming out of the Garden Tomb

The Garden Tomb

Touching the Western Wall on our May 2016 Tour

Gai Beach Hotel on the Sea of Galilee

2000 Year Old Boat

Floating in the Dead Sea

Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee

Baptism at the Jordan River

Irene On Her Camel

Jerusalem and the Temple Mount from the Mt. of Olives

Garden of Gethsemane

Tel Bet She’an and the Roman Cardo (street)

Garden of Gethsemane

Gai Hotel on the Sea of Galilee

Temple Mount from Palm Sunday Road

David Falls in the En Gedi

Hiking in the En Gedi

Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee and Gai Beach Hotel

Qumran Cave #1

Cable Car to Masada and Dead Sea in the background

Cheryl and Rich at Bet Shean

2000 Year Old Olive Tree in Garden of Gethsemane

Communion in the Garden Tomb

May 2016 Baptism Group

Megiddo Archaeological Remains

Ibex in the En Gedi

Baptism in The Jordan River

Pinnacle of the Temple Mount

Synagogue at Capernaum where Jesus preached

View from Masada to the Dead Sea

Wailing Wall

Ezer, center in purple shirt, on the Temple Mount by Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount